Telstra to Save on Power

Australian telecommunications giant Telstra has significantly ramped up its commitment to fighting climate change. In a recent blog post, Telstra's Chief Sustainability Officer, Justine Rowe, announced the company's new goal of slashing greenhouse gas emissions by a staggering 70% by 2030. This ambitious target is a substantial increase from their previous commitment of a 50% reduction.
Telstra's plan goes beyond simply offsetting their emissions – they're setting their sights on true decarbonization. "We're moving away from the purchase of carbon credits," wrote Rowe, "and will instead be focusing on decarbonisation efforts." This shift in strategy suggests Telstra is prioritising long-term solutions like renewable energy use and energy efficiency improvements.
The financial benefits of this approach are twofold. Reducing emissions directly translates to lower energy bills for Telstra. Additionally, by focusing on decarbonization, Telstra is likely to avoid potential future costs associated with carbon credits, which can fluctuate in price.
Some of the  large power-consuming infrastructure that Telstra uses includes:

Mobile Network Base Stations: These cell towers are ubiquitous and constantly transmit and receive signals to facilitate mobile phone connectivity. While individual towers may not use a massive amount of power, the sheer number of them across Telstra's network contributes significantly to their energy consumption.
Data Centers: Telstra operates numerous data centres that house servers and equipment crucial for storing and processing vast amounts of data. These facilities require significant power to keep the equipment running cool and operational 24/7.
Fiber Optic Network: Telstra utilises a vast network of fibre optic cables that transmit data over long distances. While the cables themselves don't consume a lot of power, the equipment required to power and manage the signal transmission does.
Exchange Buildings: These buildings house the switching equipment that routes phone calls, internet traffic, and other data across Telstra's network. The complex electronics within these facilities contribute to their power consumption.

This sets a strong example for other businesses to follow.

​